CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

38.55° N · 90.33° W · GEOID 2900280

Affton

St. Louis County, Missouri · part of the St. Louis, MO metro

MissouriAffton, MOAfftonAffton

The short answer

Affton is home to 19,052 people. Median household income is $79,539 a year and median rent is $1,015 a month, 15.3% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $212,400, about 2.7x annual median household income.

Affton stands out on value for money. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 99 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. Also notable: Unemployment is 1.5%, against 3.8% in its closest peers.

86OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Strong

Affton scores better than 86% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 34th of 140 in Missouri.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%87
Economy 20%74
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%28
Education 10%59
Commute 10%60
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,015
26% below the median place
Median household income
$79,539
1% below the median place
Median home value
$212,400
34% below the median place
Unemployment
1.5%
70% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Affton

  • AffordabilityThe median rent takes 15.3% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 89% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Affton

St. Louis County loses about 4.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in38,403
Moved out41,969
Net−3,566

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

St. Louis city, MO11,7558,205+3,550
St. Charles County, MO4,0546,788−2,734
Jefferson County, MO2,8483,740−892
Cook County, IL500620−120

Within Missouri, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MissouriOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$72K
Leavers$80K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of St. Louis County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into St. Louis County report $71,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $79,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$40,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,015 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,498 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $212,400.
Getting to work
24 minutes each way on average; 11.6% work from home; 1.4% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Whitehall, PA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
3.0%
47% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$79,731
13% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-4.4
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureAfftonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year13.0%47% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.0%1% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-4.4below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$71,5771% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$79,73113% above
02

What it costs to live here

32% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 95% of the 2,222 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Affton15.3%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$40,600
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
15.3%
25% below the median place
Home price to income
2.7x
30% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
15%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$68,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Affton, $1,015 a month, and local prices for everything else (98.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Affton, but easier on the budget

Places that match Affton on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Whitehall, PA9412.3% vs 15.3%$10,500Compare
Lower Burrell, PA9312.9% vs 15.3%$5,700Compare
Morrisville, PA8912.6% vs 15.3%$18,200Compare
Holbrook, MA8911.4% vs 15.3%$33,600Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Affton.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Affton? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
31.9%
37% below the median place
Median year built1
1958
1% below the median place
Homeownership1
80.8%
22% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureAfftonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,01526% below
Rent to income115.3%25% below
Property tax rate11.3%38% above
Home price to income12.7x30% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.16% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,34916% below
HUD area median income4County figure$113,5006% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,67618% below
Median home value1$212,40034% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.8%18% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure43.6%15% below
Homeownership180.8%22% above
Renters paying 30%+131.9%37% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,49820% below
Vacant homes14.4%38% below
Median year built119581% below
03

Work and pay

Unemployment averaged 1.5% over the survey period, lower than in 99% of the 2,058 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 97 Missouri places we track.

Unemployment1
1.5%
70% below the median place
Poverty rate1
6.7%
38% below the median place
Income per person1
$47,243
18% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute24 min −6%
Works from home11.6% −7%
Median household income$79,539 −1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureAfftonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$79,5391% below
Income per person1$47,24318% above
Unemployment11.5%70% below
Average annual pay6County figure$78,74119% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure589,803291% above
Poverty rate16.7%38% below
Mean commute124 min6% below
Works from home111.6%7% below
Commutes by transit1County figure1.4%64% above
04

Who lives here

No health insurance is 3.1%, 52% below the median place.

No health insurance1
3.1%
52% below the median place
Household size1
2.2
12% below the median place
Median age1
42.0
8% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad11.1% +25%
Bachelor's or higher36.6% +14%
High school or higher91.9% −0%
Homes with broadband92.0% −0%
All 8 people measures
MeasureAfftonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population119,0522423rd largest
Median age142.08% above
Bachelor's or higher136.6%14% above
High school or higher191.9%0% below
Household size12.212% below
Born abroad111.1%25% above
No health insurance13.1%52% below
Homes with broadband192.0%0% below
05

Life in Affton

The nearest National Park Service site is Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, about 1 miles away.

4 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 17 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Benoist, Louis Auguste, House listed 1969
  • Sappington, Joseph, House listed 1982
  • New Mount Sinai Cemetery listed 2005
  • Affton High School listed 2010

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.3 −48%
Playgrounds per 10k1.1 −89%
Grocery stores per 10k0.5 −75%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k8.4 −25%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −90%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.2 +5%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site 1 miles
  • Gateway Arch National Park 9 miles
  • Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park 42 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.1 +1%
Shops32.3 +7%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.0 +22%
Doctors' offices and clinics32.4 +60%
Child care centers2.5 +9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
1.4
95% below the median place
Public schools12
271
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students12
134,524
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureAfftonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure271above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure134,524above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure12.221% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure21.11% above
Shops per 10k8County figure32.37% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.022% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure32.460% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.59% above
Parks per 10k95.348% below
Playgrounds per 10k91.189% below
Grocery stores per 10k90.575% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k98.425% below
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.290% below
Transit stops per sq mi90.25% above
Nearest National Park Service site101.495% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10350% above
National Register listings11469% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Heat wave risk is 99.9, 11% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Affton. Larger places are fetched first.

Heat wave risk14
99.9
11% above the median place
Good air days15
31.2%
54% below the median place
Median air quality index15
56
30% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureAfftonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure88°F2% above
January average low13County figure23°F9% below
Average temperature13County figure56°F2% above
Annual precipitation13County figure42.3 in3% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure99.37% above
Hurricane risk14County figure45.136% below
Tornado risk14County figure98.120% above
Wildfire risk14County figure61.71% above
Heat wave risk14County figure99.911% above
Median air quality index15Metro figure5630% above
Good air days15Metro figure31.2%54% below
08

Affton in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 15% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 15% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Affton does better than 87% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 33%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,015/mo (2024)$1,290/mo$1,060 to $1,570/mo+4.1%
Median household income$79,539 (2024)$101,000$85,000 to $119,500+4.0%
Median home value$212,400 (2024)$301,000$219,000 to $415,000+6.0%

The median home would be worth 3.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Affton

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
White Hall, AR$985$78,092Compare
Bridgetown, OH$1,015$80,564Compare
Yorktown, IN$926$81,674Compare
Baldwin, PA$1,066$80,983Compare
Baldwin, PAYorktown, INBridgetown, OHWhite Hall, ARAffton, MOAfftonWhite HallBridgetownYorktownBaldwinAfftonWhite HallBridgetownYorktownBaldwin

Places built like Affton

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Affton performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Affton, MO15.3%5.5%/yrn/a
Concord, MO16.4%3.3%/yrn/aCompare
Boone, IA14.4%3.6%/yr0.2%Compare
South St. Paul, MN16.4%6.8%/yr-1.1%Compare
Mehlville, MO19.1%2.9%/yrn/aCompare
Washington, MO12.5%5.4%/yr8.6%Compare
Knoxville, IA15.6%5.2%/yr-1.7%Compare

Common questions

Is Affton a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 86 out of 100, better than 86% of the places we rate and 34th of 140 in Missouri. The median rent takes 15.3% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 89% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 86 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Affton expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 15.3% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $212,400.

What salary do you need to live in Affton?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $40,600 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Affton?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are White Hall, AR, Bridgetown, OH, Yorktown, IN and Baldwin, PA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Affton with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Affton itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/affton-missouri

Citytistics. “Affton, Missouri.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/affton-missouri/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.